Peugeot 308 hatchback - Practicality & boot space (2013-2021)

The Peugeot 308 might be a family hatchback with similar proportions to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, but those two cars can't hold a candle to the 308's practical boot. At 470 litres with the rear seats up, it's almost 100 litres larger than the class leaders, making it one of the very biggest boots out of all its rivals. In fact, only the large Skoda Octavia beats it. The boot also features a few handy features to make sure your cargo doesn't fly across the loadspace around corners.

However, this large boot does come at the expense of rear passenger space, which isn't as generous as the space available in rival models. Adults will have just enough room to be comfortable, but taller passengers may want to get out and stretch their legs on longer journeys.

There are a few handy storage cubbies inside the 308 but, overall, storage space isn't quite class-leading. The glovebox is surprisingly small, and won't stash more than things the size of a small map or a drinks can. Blame the side of the road we drive on for that - the 308 was designed to be left-hand-drive, and the fusebox has been integrated in the right-hand side of the engine bay, right where the glovebox is on UK cars.

Peugeot 308 interior space and storage

Front-seat occupants should be happy in the Peugeot 308. Headroom is good at 895mm (although some way off the 1,042mm offered by the class-leading SEAT Leon), while legroom is excellent, so most people will be able to find a comfortable position. This is made even easier as both front seats are height-adjustable. The interior is designed so that you'll look over the small steering wheel to see the instrument cluster, but this can create an annoying driving position in some cases. Either you'll like it, or it'll be a deal-breaker.

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The rear seats are slightly less generous in terms of space, but most adults should be able to get comfy. There's just enough leg room on offer, although there is less headroom than in the front. This is exacerbated on models with a panoramic sunroof. The rear-seat space is a bit disappointing, especially when many of its rivals are much more accommodating. However, it's more than enough if you mainly carry kids in the back seats, and the rear doors open wide so it's fairly easy to get a child seat in and out.

Throughout the cabin, you'll find a handful of storage cubbies to put drinks or valuables in. Generally these are quite large - the door bins can hold large water bottles, the central armrest hides a deep storage area and there are some smaller ones dotted around. The glovebox is less useful, because most of the space is taken up by the car's fusebox. It wasn't moved over to the other side of the car for right-hand-drive cars, so the glovebox is only suitable for small items.

Boot space

Here's where the 308 redeems itself, because the boot is one of the largest in any family car. Behind the rear seats, you'll have 470 litres of space to fill, or 501 litres if you remove the parcel shelf and pack up to the ceiling. That's much better than most family hatchbacks - the Volkswagen Golf, SEAT Leon and Ford Focus all offer 375-380 litres, or about three-quarters of the size of the 308's loadbay. Only the Skoda Octavia, with its larger dimensions, offers much more space.

Flip the rear seats down and the space increases to 855 litres, or 1,309 if you are happy to fill to the roof. The larger figure is comparable to the Golf and Focus, and there's also hidden extra space below the boot floor. If you need the extra boot space, check out the estate version, which we've reviewed separately. 

Towing

The Peugeot 308 will manage large trailers and light caravans with ease. Even the entry-level petrol engine is rated to tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1,200kg. The diesel with a manual transmission can tow up to 1,400kg, dropping by 100kg if an automatic gearbox is fitted.